7 Best High Fiber Foods to Help Prevent Disease
Fiber is an important nutrient that helps move food through the gut to improve digestive health and prevent disease. So which foods are highest in beneficial fiber?
1. What diseases does a high-fiber diet help prevent?
Fiber, also known as roughage, consists of the parts of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest or absorb. Instead, it passes through the stomach, small intestine, and colon relatively intact and out of the body.
A high-fiber diet has many health benefits, including:
Normalize bowel movements:Fiber adds weight and bulk to stools and softens them, helping to reduce the risk of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber can help firm up your stools because it absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool.
Maintain intestinal health:A high-fiber diet may reduce the risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in the colon (diverticulosis). Studies have also found that a high-fiber diet may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Some fiber is fermented in the colon. Researchers are looking at how this may play a role in preventing colon disease.
Lower cholesterol levels:Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseeds, and oat bran can help lower total blood cholesterol levels by reducing “bad” cholesterol levels. Fiber-rich foods may also have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Blood sugar control:In people with diabetes, fiber—especially soluble fiber—can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Reduce the risk of weight gain and obesity:Eating foods high in fiber keeps us fuller for longer than foods low in fiber, so we eat less. High-fiber foods are also less “energy dense,” meaning they have fewer calories for the same amount of food.
Helps increase longevity:Studies show that increasing dietary fiber intake — especially fiber from cereals — is associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
2. Some of the healthiest high-fiber foods
According to MSc. Dr. Le Trinh Thuy Tien, member of the Vietnam Clinical Nutrition Association, there are two types of fiber: water-soluble fiber and water-insoluble fiber.
Water-soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. This type of fiber is found in many types of beans such as soybeans, kidney beans, green beans, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Insoluble fiber is found in vegetables, wheat bran, and unmilled grains. This type of fiber absorbs water, increasing the bulk of waste, making the process of waste elimination faster. In our diet, we should eat a variety of foods that contain both types of fiber.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are a food that can be easily incorporated into the diet. They are rich in fiber and essential nutrients that help boost energy, support digestive health, and prevent disease.
The amount of fiber is 34.4g per 100g of chia seeds. In addition, chia seeds also contain many other beneficial nutrients such as: protein, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids.
How to eat:Chia seeds, like beans, can cause some people to experience gas and bloating when they eat them. Therefore, increasing your water intake can help reduce these symptoms. Soaking chia seeds can also help prevent these symptoms and aid in nutrient absorption.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are packed with nutrients. They are one of the richest plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic acid (or ALA), and are the number one source of lignans (a powerful antioxidant).
Fiber content: 27.3g per 100g of flaxseed. Other nutrients include: protein, thiamine, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, omega-3 fatty acids.
How to eat:Grind flaxseeds and add to smoothies, salads and soups.
Almond
Eating nuts like almonds is a healthy way to quickly increase your fiber intake. Almonds are also lower in calories and fat than most other nuts.
Fiber content is 12.5g per 100g of almonds. Other notable nutrients: protein, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, riboflavin, omega-6 fatty acids
How to eat:Most commonly, you can eat almonds as a snack. To increase the nutritional content of almonds, soak them overnight to sprout them.
Oatmeal
Not only are oats one of the best sources of fiber, they are also a great food for heart health. This is because oats contain a special type of fiber called beta-glucan, which can help lower levels of “bad” cholesterol to prevent the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries.
Fiber content: 10.4g per 100g of wholegrain oats. Other nutrients include: manganese, thiamine, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, iron, zinc.
How to eat oatmeal: cook porridge, soup, make cakes, mix with cereal, yogurt. Choose steel-cut oats, rolled oats, no added sweeteners or flavors.
Avocado
In addition to being high in fiber, avocados are also rich in healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Fiber content: 6.8g per 100g of pureed raw avocado. Other notable nutrients found in avocado include: vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin K, potassium.
How to eat:You can eat it directly, make smoothies, mix it with yogurt, salad, make avocado toast...
Lentils
As one of the cheapest yet healthiest high-fiber foods, lentils are a great option if you’re on a budget. In addition to providing fiber, lentils are also high in folate, making them one of the top 10 foods high in folate.
The amount of fiber is 7.9g per 100g of cooked lentils (boiled without salt). Other notable nutrients include: protein, iron, folate, manganese, phosphorus
How to eat:Cooking pilafs and lentil soups are great ways to incorporate this fiber-rich food into your diet.
Black beans
Black beans are also very inexpensive and provide a good amount of protein and fiber. In addition, the high content of flavonoids and antioxidants in black beans helps fight free radicals, reducing the risk of certain cancers and inflammation.
Fiber content is 8.7g per 100g of cooked black beans (boiled without salt). Other notable nutrients include: protein, thiamine, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, folate
How to eat: Black beans are very easy to use and can be used to make many delicious dishes such as mixed rice, porridge, sweet soup, etc. Cooking black beans yourself will be more delicious than using pre-cooked beans and you should soak black beans before cooking./.
